Rail splice



Jan. 16, 1923. 4 1,42472 J I. HICKMN.

RAIL SPLrcE. FILED MAR. 2l, 1922.

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Patented dan. lo, i923.

write 1 #u t il if ir l e, la o JOHN I. HICKL'IAN, 0F VILWAUIEE, EVISCONSEN.

RAIL SPLIGE.

Application filed March 21, 1922.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN l. HiokMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county ot ll/lilwaukee and State of lWisconsin, have invented certain new and uset'ul improvements in Rail Splices; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

l-litherto diiiiculty has been experienced with rail joints, because ot' the limited eX- pansion and contraction permitted to the rails on account ot the action ot bolts, and because ot cut bolts, loose nut-s, and broken splice bars. Each of these detects creates grave dangers and often times results in the derailing of a train. Aga-in, it occasions considerable expense because. of the need ot renewing the parts.

A primary object ot the invention is the provision ofparts operative to permit a tree and unlimited expansion and contraction. The splice bars are not bolted directly to the rails, nor are the bottom plates, but the rails are tree to slide longitudinally on the bottom plates so that even though a rail should expand very considerably, it would not reach a limit ot expansion, but would travel freely in a longitudinal line over the bottom plates. This feature ot expansibility and contractibility is highly important. lWhere a rail is limited in its expansion, a deformation thereot may occur which might result in the wrecking of a train. rlhis form of danger is of the greatest importance.

Another object ot the invention is the elimination of detects of devices ot the prior art, due to the nature of the bolts which are directed through tish plates and a rail. Hitherto the expansion of rails and the thumping of heavy cars have often times operated to cut, bend, or wear the bolts. This necessitates a frequent renewal ot the parts, which is expensive .trom the standpoint of material and labor. The cutting of the bolts is, also, very dangerous as the rails are then readily removed 'from alined position and derailing often times occurs under such circumstances.

Hitherto, the thumping of wheels over rail joints producing vibration ot fish plates7 was operative to loosen the nuts on the bolts, thus rendering the bolts inoperative. rl`hese nuts must be tightened up from time to time and involve an element of danger. Applicants bolts are so positioned that the vibra- Serial No. 545,484.

tion of the passing` cars not transmitted to them directl lhey are so tar removed. from the point ot j ar that the motion trans-- mitted to them has but negligible eliect.

The splice bars egt the'prior art have been apertured Vtor the reception ot bolts and the provision of op .1 i gs, re .ilting in a weakening ot the splice bar stL .ture so that on the exertion ot considerable tension, they have weakened and become deformed or broken. Similar-ily, the rails have been provided with apertures and these, lo, here tended to weaken them. Applical tls device obviate these defects entirely as there is a total ab sence of openings in the splice bars and ra' s and the surfaces ot the elements ire continuous and regular. rllhe transverse streng" of the splice bar is substantially constan, at all points so that the rail and bar are operative to sustain very considerable without danger of collapsing.

l./Vith the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement oi parts, substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claim, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment ot the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope oli the claim.

ln the accompany/ingl drawi g, l have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment ot the present invention. constructed according to the best mode l have so tar revised tor the practical application ot the principles thereof. and in which:- i

Figure l is a side elevation of the invention, parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line Q-Q ot Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a detail of a. spike as associated with a bottom plate.

The rails of conventional torni having a web l() terminating in a head All and in flanges l2, l2 at the bottom of the rail.. Contacting with the bottom are a pair ot substantially .similar base plates 13. i3 having their inner edges spaced slightly apart. rl`hey are provided with downwardly directed :flanges 14. i4 aperturcd to receive bolts l5 threaded to receive nuts 1G. The bolts ot ordinary construction and are applied in the common manner an elliptical at one end to be received in an elliptical ei ght opening in the flanges so that nut 16 may be tightened up. The bottom plates 13, 13 are provided with longitudinal jaws 1T, 17 having angular recesses therein for the reception of Wedges 18, 18 at the edges of brace portions 19, 19 of splice bars 20, 20. The brace portions 1.9, 19 have flat surfaces and main: tain a large circumferential Contact With flanges 1I?, 12. The splice bars 20, 20 have concave recesses 21, 21 on their inner sides and their upper ec ges are curved, as shown at 22, the rails having grooves to receive the upper edges of splice bars 20, 20 and these grooves terminate at shoulders 24. rThis is a preferred construction. It is -produced by u'lerely milling out the heads 11 of the rails.

1f desired, the grooves Q3 may be extended the entire length of the rail in which case it is produced by milling, or the rail may be rolled into this forni. bviously, the head 11 on the rail is unable to move to either side because of the bracing action of splice bars 20, 20 nor can either oit these splice bars be displaced from its position because the groove 23 terminates at, substantially, a longitudinal flange 25 tending to prevent latw eral movement of the splice bar with respect to the rail. Jaws 17, 17', also cooperate with wedges 18, 1S to maintain splice bars 20, Q0 in position. Splice bars 20, 20 are maintained tightly in place and there isno pos-A placed in position between ties 26 and 27 from which flanges 14, 14; are slightly spaced. The bottom plates 13, 13 are provided with slots 2S for the reception of spikes 29, the heads 30 of which contact with jaws 17, 17 and maintainthe plates immovable With respect to ties 2G and 27. Thus there is no tendency for the bottom plates to creep.

l claim In a railsplice, the combination of a pair of substantially alinediails, said rails having recesses, splice bars having upper edges fitting in said recesses, bottom flanges on said rails, bracing portions integral With said splice bars, a pair of bottom plates, longitudinal aWs on said bottom plates re ceiving the edges of said bracing portions, flangesdownwardly directed from said bottom plates, and bolts extending through said flanges. n

In testimony that l claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and Stateoif Wisconsin.

JOHN I. HICKMAN'. 

